U.S. patent number 4,059,282 [Application Number 05/721,394] was granted by the patent office on 1977-11-22 for boat bow dolly.
Invention is credited to Ervin Prickett.
United States Patent |
4,059,282 |
Prickett |
November 22, 1977 |
Boat bow dolly
Abstract
A dolly for wheeling a boat from a car to a body of water and
back including a wheel on a bracket removably received within a
slot formed by a pair of depending flanges on a mounting plate
secured to the bow of the boat. The bracket is removably locked in
place in the slot between the flanges by a pair of spring clips on
the plate in front of and in back of the slot. The wheel bracket
and wheel is removable from the slot when the boat is launched into
the water by raising the wheel bracket to clear one of the clips at
the front of the slot.
Inventors: |
Prickett; Ervin (Coon Rapids,
MN) |
Family
ID: |
24897809 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/721,394 |
Filed: |
September 8, 1976 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/47.331;
280/414.2; 280/79.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62B
1/00 (20130101); B63C 13/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B63C
13/00 (20060101); B62B 1/00 (20060101); B60P
003/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;280/47.13R,47.13B,47.2,47.26,47.3,47.31,47.32,414A,78,79.1R,79.1A
;190/18A ;16/30 ;9/1.2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Peters, Jr.; Joseph F.
Assistant Examiner: Schrecengost; R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brufsky; Allen D.
Claims
I claim:
1. A dolly for transporting a boat over a surface comprising:
a substantially planar mounting plate adapted to be secured to the
bow of a boat, and
a wheel bracket including a wheel rotatably mounted thereon
removably secured to said mounting plate, said mounting plate
including
depending flange means forming a slot for receiving said wheel
bracket, and
means for removably locking said wheel bracket on said plate in
said slot, said removable locking means including a substantially
U-shaped resilient clip on said mounting plate in front and back of
said slot, said clips including a free leg and a bight portion
facing each other and said slot.
2. The dolly of claim 1 wherein said flange means includes
a pair of flanges forming a substantially V-shaped slot without an
apex, and
said wheel bracket includes
a complemental V-shaped bracket received within said slot between
said flanges.
3. The dolly of claim 2 wherein said wheel bracket includes a
depending U-shaped channel connected to said V-shaped bracket, and
a wheel rotatably mounted between the legs of said U-shaped
channel.
4. The dolly of claim 3 wherein said mounted plate includes a
plurality of fastener receiving openings.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a wheel attachment for small boats
carried on a car top to provide mobility for ease of moving the
boat from the car to the water and back.
Many boat owners and users transport their pleasure boats on
trailers or car tops to lakes or other bodies of water and upon
their arrival or departure therefrom are required to carry, drag or
roll the boat to and from the water. This is somewhat of a
difficult task, especially if the boat is heavy and the distance
traversed is substantial. This invention provides a removable
wheeled attachment or dolly adapted to be mounted on the bow of the
boat to eliminate this chore and is designed for use by a single
person in moving the boat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, a mounting plate is fixed by
fasteners to the bow of the boat. The plate includes a pair of
depending flanges forming a V-shaped slot open along its apex to
receive a complementally shaped bracket rotatably mounting a wheel.
The bracket is slid over a resilient U-shaped, spring retaining
clip on the plate in front of the slot and held between a pair of
such clips on the plate in front and back of the slot. Prior to
launching the boat into the water, the bracket is raised and the
wheel removed by sliding it out of the slot over the front
clip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the following description and claims, and from the
accompanying drawing, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dolly of the present invention
mounted on the bow of a boat;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the dolly of FIG. 1
turned upside down;
FIG. 3 is a side view in elevation of the assembled dolly of FIG. 2
mounted on the boat; and
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the
plane indicated by line 4--4 of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals
indicate like elements throughout the several views, the boat dolly
10 of the present invention includes a mounting plate 12 having
openings 14 adapted to receive suitable fasteners 16 for mounting
plate 12 on the bow of a boat B.
Plate 12 has a pair of depending flanges 18, 20, forming a
substantially V-shaped slot 22 open along its apex to receive a
complementally-shaped bracket 24 integral with the top or bight of
a U-shaped channel 26 rotatably mounting a wheel 28 on an axle 30
between the arms of channel 26.
Mounting plate 12 includes a U-shaped resilient clip 32 at the
front and back of slot 22. One of the legs of each clip 32 are
attached to plate 12, and the clips 32 open towards each other and
the front and back of slot 22.
Normally wheel bracket 24 is detached from plate 12. However, when
it is necessary to transport boat B on dry land, bracket 24 is slid
over the free leg of clip 32 in front of slot 22 into the slot into
engagement with the interior of clip 32 at the rear of slot 22.
When in abutment with the rear clip 32, the bracket 24 will be
dropped and will be retained on plate 12 by engagement with the
front and rear clips 32, and the depending flanges 18 and 20, as
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, so boat B can be wheeled along surface
S.
Prior to launching boat B into the water, bracket 24 is raised and
removed from plate 12 by sliding it out of slot 22 over the front
clip 32.
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